Sunshine
by lostlittlebluebird
Summary: Through their lives, Arthur and Alfred have faced many things - from nightmares to wars. Yet, a single lullaby has stood by them during these times, holding together the broken pieces of their relationship. (Partial Song-fic; human and nation names used, T because I'm paranoid.)


So. . . another fic. Just to say "I'm not dead." XD This isn't historically accurate, but. . .yeah. . .Shh. cx

This is based on how my mum used to sing me this when I was little, and as I got older, I'd cry whenever it was sung to me by anyone. ;n; I thought I'd illustrate it with Alfie and Arthur, since this song had so much meaning to me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Iggy or Alfred (Sadly) or Hetalia (even more sadly).

* * *

A young boy sat in the darkness, tangled in the white sheets of his large bed. His large, clear blue eyes stared into the blackness, not quite adjusting. Faint tear tracks stained his face, short blond hair hanging in front of his eyes as he shook violently. He tried in vain to calm himself – but his recent nightmare still haunted him, and the darkness around him seemed to be suffocating, smothering and engulfing him through the night.

The door to his room opened, and he froze, then pulled the white sheets over his head, burying his head in his knees. Light poured in through the crack of the door hanging ajar, and a dark shadow of a figure crept beside him. The boy whimpered, shying away from the hand pulling away his protective shelter of bed sheets. He forced his eyes open, to face the monster that had come to get him. Yet, he was met with a pair of familiar green eyes and kind, sympathetic smile looking down at him.

"Alfred? Are you alright?" the older man asked in a kind voice, kneeling beside the trembling boy. Alfred shook his head rapidly, tears gracing his cheeks once more.

"T-the monsters! They c-came to get me, a-again!" the younger cried, jumping forward and throwing his arms around his guardian. Arthur stumbled backward a bit, but stood with the child still latched to him, sitting on the bed. He continued to let the boy embrace him, gently stroking his hair.

"Shh, Alfred, do you remember what I told you?" Arthur cooed, "I'll always protect you, from all the monsters." At this, the younger pulled away slightly, blinking away his tears and staring up at his fatherly figure.

"A-always?" Alfred's voice came out shaken, broken and quiet from sobs.

"Always. Now, would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" Arthur offered, and the younger nodded. The elder gently placed him back onto the bed, tucking him properly into the covers and sheets and sitting beside him on the edge of the bed.

Alfred let his eyes flutter shut, and slowly calmed as he heard Arthur begin to sing.

_"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,_

_ You make me happy when skies are grey,_

_ You never know, dear, how much I love you,"_

Arthur watched as Alfred's breathing slowed, smiling as he brushed away the younger's hair from his face, gingerly kissing his forehead.

_"Please don't take my sunshine away," _he hummed the last line as he left the room, the door closing quietly behind him, voice ringing softly through the hall.

* * *

The rained poured down heavily, Arthur kneeling in the mud, head buried in his hands as he sobbed. Alfred looked down at him, at the guardian that had protected him from everything – but had stolen everything away from him. This was it. His freedom.

"You used to be so great," were his last words, as he turned on his heel, not looking back as he exited the battlefield. Arthur sat there for hours, curled up in the rain and mud. He couldn't bear to move, couldn't bear to face that he had just lost the most important thing he'd ever had. His entire world – gone. Alfred, the small boy he'd tucked in at night, read stories to, go on walks with. He'd just . . . left. Had he been too hard on his little colony? He only wanted to protect him. . .

Finally finding it in him to stand, Arthur stared up at the cloudy sky.

_"The other night dear,_

_ As I lay sleeping,_

_ I dreamed I held you in my arms,_

_ When I awoke dear,_

_ I was mistaken,_

_ And I held my head,_

_ And cried,"_

He sang to the sky, the lines he hadn't sang to his dear, sweet Alfred that night. He hung his head in defeat, taking shaky steps back home.

* * *

Alfred opened the door to the hospital room with a quivering hand, quietly walking inside. In the clean, white sheets, lay Arthur, his Arthur. He staggered over to the side of the bed, sitting down in the seat he took every day. He took the other country's thin hand in his, holding back tears. Arthur opened his eyes, smiling up at the younger man.

"A-Alfred, could . . . I ask you for a f-favour, before I . . ." he trailed off, looking into those clear blue eyes. Alfred nodded.

"Anything." He replied, squeezing the elder's hand tighter.

"C-could you stay with me, until I fall asleep?" Arthur asked, and Alfred nodded, tears starting to drip down his cheeks. Arthur closed his eyes, but opened his mouth, shakily singing the rest of his lullaby.

_"Y-you are my sunshine, my only sunshine,_

_ You make me happy when skies are grey. . ._

_ You never know, dear, how much I love you. . ."_

Arthur trailed off, machines around the room beeping and clicking as his heart stopped, hand in Alfred's going completely limp. Alfred let out a sob, burying his head in Arthur's chest, gripping the cold hand in his with unbelievable strength.

After a few minutes, he finally pulled away, looking at the content face of his former guardian, and brushed the hair from Arthur's forehead, placing a single, gentle kiss there in its place. And, looking out the window into the dark, cloudy sky, he muttered under his breath,

_ "Please don't take my sunshine away. . ."_


End file.
